Periodontal Health

Your body is a complex machine. The foods you choose and how often you eat them can affect your general health and the health of your teeth and gums, too. If you consume too many sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks or non-nutritious snacks, you could be at risk for tooth decay. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease, but the good news is that it is entirely preventable.

Tooth decay happens when plaque come into contact with sugar in the mouth, causing acid to attack the teeth. Severe gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and is potentially more severe in people with poor nutrition.

For healthy living and for healthy teeth and gums, think before you eat and drink. It’s not only what you eat but when you eat that can affect your dental health. Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. If you are on a special diet, keep your physician’s advice in mind when choosing foods.

For good dental health, always remember to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, floss daily and visit your dentist regularly. With regular dental care, We can help prevent oral problems from occurring in the first place and catch those that do occur in the early stages, while they are easy to treat.

HEALTHIER GUMS MEAN A HEALTHIER YOU

Have you ever noticed that your gums bleed when you brush your teeth? Or that your teeth are very sensitive? Maybe your gums are sore, swollen or red. You may not realize it but those conditions, as well as bad breath, are warning signs of periodontal disease. You’ve probably heard it referred to as gum disease.

MORE THAN 75 PERCENT OF AMERICANS HAVE SOME FORM OF GUM DISEASE AND DON’T KNOW IT

Periodontal Disease – or Gum Disease

is an infection that can severely harm the gums and bone supporting your teeth. It can affect one tooth or many teeth. Like any infection that can develop elsewhere in your body, left untreated, gum disease can lead to serious and costly health issues.

Advanced stages of gum disease have been found to lead to tooth loss. More, importantly, the health of your mouth affects your entire body. Now that you don’t have to endure the “old fashioned gum surgery”, there has NEVER been more reason to take care of your mouth! The following facts are astonishing!

Heart attack – Those with gum disease are twice a likely to develop coronary heart disease and 2.6 times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those without gum disease.

Stroke – Men who have had gum disease have a 57% higher risk of ischemic stroke.

Diabetes – The International Federation of Diabetes states that controlling gum disease is one of the best ways to control blood sugar in those with diabetes.

Pancreatic Cancer – Men with a history of gum disease have a 63% increased risk of pancreatic cancer than men without a history of gum disease.

Respiratory Diseases are more prominent in those with gum disease.

Premature or underweight babies – Women are twice as likely to have a premature or low birthweight baby due to periodontal disease.

That’s why we take gum disease very seriously. At Creating Smiles Dental, we want to do everything possible to provide you with the care you need to keep your teeth and maintain good oral health, as well as the overall health of your body.

American Diabetes Association

American Academy of Periodontology

What Causes Periodontal Disease?

Gum disease begins when the bacteria in plaque causes the gums to become inflamed. Gingivitis, the mildest form of gum disease, causes the gums to become red, swollen and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort at this stage. Regular visits to your visit will help you catch gum disease when it is easiest to treat. Once gum disease progresses to a point when you notice things aren’t right, it is typically advanced.

Infrequent and improper brushing and flossing often cause gum disease. Other factors increase the risk of gum disease as well:

Genetics

Smoking or using tobacco

Diabetes

Poor nutrition

Stress

Pregnancy

Puberty

Medications (especially heart medications)

Having a family member with gum disease increases your risk

Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral care at home. That’s why it is important that brushing and flossing are part your everyday oral health routine.

If left untreated, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. Gums separate from the teeth and form pockets—the spaces between the teeth and the gums—and become infected.

As gum disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Eventually teeth can become loose and may have to be removed. A simple examination by your doctor or hygienist to measure the pocket depths will determine the presence and seriousness of the condition.

Some questions you may ask yourself to see if you have Gum Disease are:

Do my gums look red or swollen?

Do my gums ever bleed when I brush or floss my teeth?

Was my last dental cleaning over a year ago?

Am I over the age of 40?

Do I smoke?

Have I ever had to have a tooth removed other than a wisdom tooth?

Do I have bad breath, or has someone told me that I have bad breath?

Do my teeth look long, or have exposed roots?

Are my teeth shifting or is my bite changing?

Are spaces or gaps developing between my teeth?

Do I have any loose teeth?

Has my dentist or hygienist ever told me that I have “deep” gum pockets?

Has my dentist or hygienist ever recommended more than 2 cleanings per year?

If you have answered “YES” to any of the above questions, you should see your dentist to determine if you do have Periodontal Disease (or gum disease) and find out how you would best treat it in order to have healthy teeth and gums.

Before & After

Perio Sciences

Dental procedures and the materials used in dentistry such as whitening, environmental elements and nicotine, tissues in the mouth are exposed to many types of free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS). An accumulation of free radicals, regardless of the source, can lead to a condition called oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is linked to series oral disease such as periodontal disease.

Antioxidants fight oxidative stress. Antioxidants exist naturally in saliva and protect against oral disease including periodontitis and oral cancer. Perio Sciences is a topical antioxidant used to help reduce free radical or reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are causative inflammatory factors in the progression of gingival and periodontal disease. Therefore, using Perio Sciences may help decrease the inflammatory response in your body that is causing more bone loss.